After this for a time we had fair weather at the Hall. I was frequently called on to sing alone, or in company with Amabel and young Mr. Dugdale, a simple young gentleman, knowing a great deal about music and china, and a very little about any thing else. My lady was all honey to me, and even made me a present of some lace—small thanks to her. She intimated to me very clearly that she could make or mar my fortunes accordingly as I served her. I wanted none of her making, and, indeed, my greatest fear was that she should find out a match for me. However, I was willing, for Amabel's sake, to be on good terms with her. The next Sunday no one went to church but Amabel and myself, and Mr. Dugdale and his sister. We had a quiet, pleasant walk home, conversing on serious subjects, and Mr. Dugdale showed a little better side to his character than I had yet seen. As we reached the Hall door, he asked Amabel if he should see her in the saloon that evening. "No, sir!" answered Amabel. "My lady has kindly promised to excuse me." "Then, perhaps—perhaps—" said the young gentleman, stammering between bashfulness and earnestness. "Perhaps you will allow my Sister Chatty to spend the evening with you." "Please do, Miss Leighton," added Chatty. "You see, though I have a great regard for my lady, and—and—all that," pursued Mr. Dugdale, "yet Chatty is young, and she has no mother to direct her, poor thing, and I am a man of the world, you know, but Chatty isn't, and—really, you know, I do think, young ladies—you understand—" If we did understand, it was no thanks to him, poor young man, but of course, one could not refuse such a request. Chatty spent the evening with us, and we had a very quiet, profitable time reading the Bible, singing, and talking. Chatty was a nice, modest, sensible young girl, who had a bias to good given her in her childhood by her mother. She was glad to talk of that mother, and to have her lessons recalled. She has since married well, and makes an excellent and happy wife and mother, with a great family of daughters, one of whom is my namesake. The next day we saw the arrival of a groom on horseback with letters to my lady, and learned that Sir Julius was expected to arrive before evening. [Illustration] CHAPTER XXII. NEWS FROM THE NORTH.